Welcome to the Mullen wrestling page. While the Mustangs are in search of their first team Colorado title, the all-time leaders are Alamosa and Rocky Ford with 12, followed closely by Montrose and Wray with 11, Holly and Ponderosa with 10, and Denver North and Grand Junction with nine. Mullen, which will begin the season with 28 hopefuls, will compete in the Centennial League, comprised of Class 5A teams, then shift to 3A in the postseason. The Mustangs will be in the 3A Central Region with Alameda, Arvada, Eagle Valley, Eaton, Elizabeth, Englewood, Jefferson, Middle Park, Sheridan, Skyview, Strasburg and Weld Central.

The two-day event was won by Eagle Valley, which piled up 168 points. Eaton was second with 159.5.

Mustangs freshman Noah Linares grabbed a runner-up finish at 113 pounds. Now 20-5 on the season, Linares was the only Mullen competitor to make a championship bout. He dropped a two-point decision.

Junior John Sumner, 29-6, finished fifth at 145 with a major decision in the consolations.

And heavyweight Angelo Damian moved to 24-8 in 2018-19, losing a 1-0 decision to take fourth.

Mullen will resume action on Thursday, Jan 24, with a dual match at Grandview in Aurora, 7 p.m.

Mustangs take 3rd in own invitational

By Neil H. Devlin

Mullen Sport Information Specialist

In their first action since before the holiday break, Mullen’s Mustangs showed well at their home tournament.

On Saturday, the Mustangs placed third in their Mullen Invitational. They totaled 133 points to the 171.5 compiled by a split squad from Grandview tat won the gathering and the 167 by Columbine that wewre good for runner-up.

Individually, Max Gonzales (106 pounds) and John Sumner (145) won their weight classes.

As for the rest of the team chase, Jefferson was fourth at 113, followed by Alameda International at 112.5; University 100; Pomona 81; Bear Creek 34; Mullen JV 21.5; and Lotus School 7.5.

The Mustangs will resume action on Wednesday, Jan.16, 7 p.m., against Arapahoe in the Centennial League.

Poor dual before heading to Loveland

By Neil H. Devlin

Mullen Sports Information Specialist

It was a rough night and wasn’t close to what they wanted, but Mullen is set to head into the biggest tournament of wrestling’s regular season.

The Mustangs dropped a dual match on the road on Thursday at Class 5A Cherokee Trail in Aurora, losing 48-18 in the team chase. They won only two matches, gained another victory through forfeit and had to forfeit seven others.

After wrestling well in earlier bouts, Mullen stumbled as a group heading into this weekend’s Old Chicago Northern Colorado Tournament in Loveland.

“We’ve got to pick up the intensity,” Mustangs head coach John Howes said. “We didn’t match up very well tonight. We did in a couple of them and that’s something we’ve been working on.”

Mullen 145-pouder John Sumner, a junior, earned a fall in 1 minute, 18 seconds and looked particularly motivated after he said he got kicked in the face early in the bout.

“Looking forward to going up to this tournament,” said Sumner, who has only lost once this season. “I sprained a knee a bit, but I’m doing well and just working hard to do my best and try to win some matches.”

And at heavyweight, senior Angelo Damian, ranked No. 5 in 3A, won by fall in 2:25 and it went in the usual fashion, he said, as “my matches go like that – feeling out (his opponent) in the first period, seeing how strong he is, what he’s trying to do … in the second period, I’ve got it figured out and just want to push the pace.”

Howes also said promising freshman Mark Troni “wrestled well, but he made one mistake and it cost him five points.” Troni, who already has won a couple of bouts after trailing by as many as seven points, fell 9-3 at 120.

The tourney in Loveland will be Friday and Saturday and include many of the state’s top wrestlers in each class.

Lineras, Sumner lift ‘Stangs to 4th at North

By Neil H. Devlin

Mullen Sports Information Specialist

Behind Noah Linares and John Sumner, Mullen finished in fourth place on Saturday at the seventh annual Viking Invitational at Denver North.

The Mustangs missed third by a half-point. First was Elizabeth (202), followed by Skyview (176). Third-place Frederick had 160 to the Mustangs’ 155.5

Linares, a freshman, moved to 12-0 on the season and swept through 113 pounds. Sumner, a junior, did likewise at 145 and improved to 11-1.

Cole Nading grabbed second at 160 to lead other placings that provided depth for Mullen. He was third at 120. Max Gonzales (106), Aaron Gonzales (126), Nick Machock (132) and Angelo Damian (285) each finished fourth.

Max Gonzalez upped his record to 10-1 and Damian is 12-1.

The Mustangs will have a busy week before the holiday break. On Tuesday, Dec. 11, there’s a home dual meet against Bear Creek, 7 p.m.; another dual on Thursday, Dec. 13, at Cherokee Trail, 7 p.m.; then the Friday-Saturday, Dec. 14-15, Old Chicago Northern Colorado Tournament in Loveland.

Freshmen helping to boost Mustangs

By Neil H. Devlin

Mullen Sports Information Specialist

Mullen went down against Eaglecrest 45-30 in a dual meet on Thursday night at the Old Gym, but the Mustangs continued to move forward.

They won six matches, three by freshmen to open the competition, and continued to gain the necessary experience they’ll need in February.

“It’s nice to have some freshmen who can wrestle,” head coach John Howes said.

It certainly is. Max Gonzales (106 pounds), Noah Linares (113) and Mark Troni (120) rolled through the first three matches.

Gonzales muscled his way to a pin in 3 minutes, 24 seconds; Linares earned a 5-0 decision; and Troni earned a comeback victory by pinning with 1 second left in his match.

Linares, now 5-0, said he was pleased and “got my takedowns and got my legs and kept good control.” A former Pomona Elite competitor as a youth, Linares added that he’s thrilled being a Mustang and wrestling as “it’s not like other sports. You have to have discipline and keep your body in shape.”

Troni, who trailed in his Tuesday match 10-3 against Fort Lupton before rallying for a pin, did it again on Thursday. He was behind twice early, responded with a five-point move, overcome a later tie, then earned a fall at 5:59.

“I guess,” he said when asked if rallying is getting to be a trait of his early schoolboy career. “I just try to make something happen.”

The Mustangs’ Aaron Gonzales won a decision at 126 and the very skilled John Sumner, a junior, pinned in 1:53 at 145. Heavyweight Angelo Damian capped the evening with a fall in 1:34.

Mullen defeated Fort Lupton 60-22 on Tuesday with Troni, Nick Machock (132) and Deion Fuentes (220) winning falls. And on Saturday in a series of duals at Golden, the Mustangs earned team victories over the host Demons, Summit and Mountain Vista.

The one rough spot over the weekend in Golden, Howes said, “was we ran into Berthoud and we took some lumps. We wrestled much better (Thursday) and they came through.”

Next up is a tournament on Saturday at Denver North as the Vikings also will host Adams City, Arvada, Chaparral, Denver West, Elizabeth, Englewood, Estes Park, Frederick, Ponderosa, Skyline, Skyview, University and Woodland Park.

Troni, Sumner bright spots in opening loss

By Neil H. Devlin

Mullen Sports Information Specialist

GREENWOOD VILLAGE – It’s difficult to forget your first time.

Mullen’s Mark Troni won’t forget his.

The Mullen freshman, in his first varsity wrestling match, grabbed control early and rolled to a superior decision as the Mustangs fell 52-35 in a season-opening dual meet at Cherry Creek.

At 120 pounds, Troni threatened to pin the Bruins’ Pierce Reisinger early in the first period, but settled for back points. He turned in a couple of other near-falls in winning 17-3.

“Yeah, it was fun. It was cool,” Troni said. “I was a little nervous coming in, but when I warmed up I knew I was ready.”

Mullen 145-pounder John Sumner, who figures to be at the front of all Mustangs’ efforts this season, was impressed.

“The kid works hard,” Sumner said.

He does, too, and it showed. Sumner, who experienced a heart problem the day of the past season’s regionals, won his match over Austin Luhring in a snappy 55 seconds and he wanted to make a splash in his first match.

“The biggest is always the first night of the year and it’s always good to get it it over with and get a win in front of the opposing crowd and make them gasp a bit,” Sumner said. “It’s just a lot of fun to go out there and get some competing in. It was huge.”

Mullen head coach John Howes agreed.

“You never know what you’re going to get,” he said of opening night.

As for Troni, he said, “I knew he had some skills,” and of Sumner, he said, “he’s tough.”

In addition, Howes said, “if I can get the rest of them to go out there the same way …”

It was actually a quick first night. Completion took less than a half-hour as there were eight forfeits as well as a bunch of quick pins.

Noah Linares (112), Cole Nading (160) and Angelo Damian (hwit.) didn’t get to compete and won by forfeits.

However, there will be plenty of matches this weekend, when the Mustangs head for five duals at Jefferson County’s Golden against a field comprised of Alameda International, Berthoud, Denver North, the host Demons, Eaglecrest, Elizabeth, Jefferson, Platte Canyon, Rangeview, Standley Lake, Summit and Thomas Jefferson.

So when Mullen wrestling opens its dual meet schedule on Thursday, Nov. 29, at Cherry Creek in Greenwood Village, the arduous task of chasing all that the sport has to offer begins for 28 Mustangs competitors.

“All of the kids have different goals, where they want to end up,” Mustangs head coach John Howes said. “Our biggest thing is to help them reach them, whether it’s to win matches, make all-conference stuff, make it to regionals, just win a varsity match … whatever it is.

“Then we have those kids who want to be on podium at (the state meet by placing in the top six). As long as we’re establishing and reaching those goals …”

Howes, in his second season in command since assisting Vince Massey, has Johnny Sumner, who will start at 145 pounds; Aaron Gonzales (126); and Angelo Damian (hwt.) as the team’s top returnees. In addition, of the freshman, Howes said, “there are some good kids in that group who are tough. It will be interesting. They are athletes and that should transfer just fine.”

Another possibility is senior Dante Silva, a state qualifier a year ago at heavyweiht who is battling shoulder issues. Howes said he will be evaluated after the holiday break.

The two biggest meets of the regular season for the Mustangs, Howes said, will be the Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament, in its 20th year, that will be held in Loveland from Dec. 13-15, and the Florence Invitational after the holiday break.

“We just want to prepare for the two most-important weekends, regionals and state,” Howes said, pointing to Feb. 15-16 and Feb. 21-23, the finale at the Pepsi Center.

While Mullen again will have its dual-meet schedule against 5A league teams, its shift to 3A won’t seem any easier.

“With the new numbers, they have definitely made 3A tough as heck,” Howes said.

“I don’t know why they would give it to me,” the recent graduate of Mullen said.

It is the first annual Mullen Wrestling Service Award from the program and athletic director and former head coach Vince Massey can clarify the selection. Justify it, too.

“It’s because of the type of young man he is,” Massey said. “The services that he provided (to the wrestling program) were done in the most-unselfish way.”

Massey specifically pointed to one of the Lasallian main principles, to serve others, “and Chase embodies the process to serve as well as anybody I’ve seen here.”

Sieradski termed it as “pretty cool.” He had dreamed of being a varsity wrestler, a regular contributor to the Mustangs program and perhaps a state qualifier. However, younger brother Trey, also a Mullen student-athlete, developed a very aggressive form of cancer and he decided to pass on his senior season as a competitor.

Being on the wrestling team certainly has its benefits, but his family took precedence. It was never an issue. Trey’s well-being took precedent as did helping their parents.

“Obviously, it’s hard to leave a team I had been working with for three years,” he said. “You become a family. But at the same time I feel I did what was right for my (own) family. Ultimately, it’s not the easiest choice to make, but definitely the right choice.”

Massey wasn’t surprised. He called Sieradski a hard worker, one who had difficulties in wrestle-offs in order to earn a spot, but insisted that they remain in place. They were there for a reason, Sieradski said, and offered no excuses. Though not on the team, he showed up at practices when he could in order to help others. He also performed a variety of little tasks, such as helping Massey keep his eyes on a match instead of regularly having to turn around and look for the clock. Just his presence was a bonus for the team.

“An unselfish young man,” Massey said. “He will always be remembered for the service he provided.”

Having recently left to join Alabama’s Crimson Tide, Sieradski will be working in computer science and business administration. Plus, his brother’s cancer is considered in remission and he has been working out regularly, so he won’t fret nearly as much about being away from him.

“It’s pretty cool down there and they have a lot to offer,” he said.

He said receiving the inaugural wrestling award was a fitting cap to his Mullen career.

“It feels really cool,” he said. “It’s cool to get something, but at the same time it’s not about me. I’m mostly thankful to prove my worth to my coaches and work with those kids.

“It’s icing on the cake for me. The whole experience, the whole deal, (accounts for) some of the best memories I ever had.”

Jaydon Vigil is a state Golden Gloves Champion

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

Jaydon Vigil is a very bad young man … bad as in he can handle himself with his fists and he just added another title to further prove it.

On Sunday, the Mullen senior became a Colorado Golden Gloves champion. He capped the week-long USA Boxing event at the Imperium Event Center in Northglenn by capturing the 152-pound title.

Vigil won two bouts, on Friday and Sunday, and got a further taste of what can happen when judges get involved.

“Both were split decisions,” Vigil said. “In the first fight, I thought I blew him out, but one of the judges had my opponent winning … the same thing happened the next night. (My opponent) was just gassed in the third round and I pounded the body and got on top of him and hit him with some power shots. I slowly brought him down.”

Realistically, Vigil added, “I was just glad I could win.”

His education in the sweet science continues in more ways than one as he says he frequently faces foes in their mid-to-late 20s

And advancing – Vigil’s status as state champion pushes him to regional rounds to be held in Albuquerque on April 28.

He wishes they were today.

“I worked out this morning and I just got back from another workout,” he said early Monday evening. “Everybody says hard work pays off and you never know until you witness it and get to live it. It feels like everything is coming together.

“And I think I have a very good chance of winning.”

Wrestlers knocked out of state tournament

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

After a hint of promise on Thursday, Mullen wrestling was quickly removed from the Colorado tournament on Friday.

The Mustangs were 0-5 on Friday, including two losses in the quarterfinals. As a group, their three entrants were 2-6 in the Class 3A portion of competition at the Pepsi Center.

On Thursday, both Dimitris Flores, 152 pounds, and Sebastian Campos, 170, advanced through the preliminaries in earning their first tournament victories. However, both suffered two defeats.

Flores, in his third trip to state, was pinned in 3 minutes, 57 seconds by Alamosa’s Reis Martinez, who had entered the field just 3-1 because of injuries throughout the regular season. Martinez went on to advance to Saturday’s championship round. Flores entered consolation rounds and lost by major decision (13-2) to Brian De La Rosa of Rifle. Flores ended his senior year with 33 victories.

As for Campos, he couldn’t back his first round – he dropped an 11-4 decision to Wyatt Larson of Berthoud. Into the consolations, he was on the shrot end of a tight 8-6 decision to Keaton Green of Florence. Campos, another 12th-grader, had 34 victories in 2017-18, more than 100 in his career.

And Mustangs junior Dante Silva, in his first season of wrestling that also contained multiple injuries, he also ended in consolations. A heavyweight, Silva lost in overtime in the preliminaries on Thursday and was pinned in the first round of consolations in 1:17 by Holyoke’s Andrew Edwards.

Flores, Campos advance at state wrestling

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

Mullen was able to push two of its three wrestlers into Friday morning’s quarterfinals.

Seniors Dimitris Flores and Sebastian Campos each advanced and junior Dante Silva was a victim late in overtime on Thursday in the Class 3A preliminaries of the Colorado tournament at the Pepsi Center.

A 152-pounder, Flores, here for the third time in four years (he missed last year’s tournament with a concussion), had been 0-4 at state, 0-2 in consecutive seasons. However, he handled Fort Lupton’s Koby Galicia by 11-3, earning a major decision and boosting his season record to 33-7.

“I was in control … just sometimes I was out of position in taking some shots,” Flores said. “This is my first win at state and it’s nice to get the first match out of the way. (On Friday) I just have to push the pace.”

Flores admitted to “being nervous. But it was fun. I didn’t show that much emotion. It’s just the first match and I want to make the finals.”

Galicia, a junior, is 18-22 and headed to the consolations.

In the quarters, Flores will meet Reis Martinez of Alamosa, who's here despite the fact that he entered with a 3-1 record.

“I know he has been hurt all year,” Flores said.

Martinez knocked off Zach Waite of Platte Valley, a senior who entered 22-6.

As for Campos, who improved to 35-12, he had been 0-2 at state, qualifying as a junior. But he earned a hard-fought victory over Delta’s Aiden Barrios (24-14), a junior. Campos grabbed a 2-0 first-period lead and held it. Familiarity also was key.

“I wrestled him a couple of times previously, at the Florence Tournament,” Campos said. “I kind of wrestled into his strengths and it was a tough match. I was just able to move on.”

Campos earned this third victory against Barrios. His quarterfinal foe will be Berthoud senior Wyatt Larson (33-10), who won his prelims match by decision.

Silva, a junior and three-sporter (he plays football and throws the discus) who has had his own injury problems, dipped to 11-7 after dropping a 3-1 decision in overtime to senior Oswaldo Morales of Basalt. Both competitors earned escapes during regulation. Morales won it in the final seconds with a reversal after being in the bottom position.

Lighter for a heavyweight – he’s about 228 pounds – Silva said of his first-ever state match: “Yeah, I was into it, I was focused and my warmup felt really good.”

It can be an issue, he said, going up against wider, stronger and rounder foes at the heaviest weight, “as it’s a little different. They’re not as fast and agile, and I feel like I have an advantage in the standing game, but when I'm on the bottom it’s a little different. I’m just trying to compete, you know?”

They are down to just three wrestlers, but Mullen’s Mustangs hope to make some points at the Colorado tournament.

Beginning Thursday with the Class 3A preliminaries, Dimitris Flores, Sebastian Campos and Dante Silva hope to extend their stay at the Pepsi Center, where there will be three days of action over four classifications.

“If we just stay focused, I think they’ll be all right,” Mullen head coach John Howes said. ”Just score your points. Don’t go for the kill shot. Just score your points.”

At the climax of the season, it’s a mix of new and old for Mullen. Howe was a longtime figure at Arvada, assisted the past two seasons and took over in 2017-18 for Vince Massey.

“Vince had it set pretty good,” Howes said.

Flores is in his third state tournament, Campos his second and it’s the first for Silva.

At 152 pounds, Flores brings a 32-7 record. He was a regional champion and is eager to begin.

“Yeah, it’s going to be fun,” he said. “I think I’m pretty confident with the bracket. I just want to go out there and wrestle match-by-match and see where it goes. You can’t look too far ahead. When you look past any matches, that’s when you screw up.”

Flores will open against Fort Lupton’s Koby Galicia, a junior who’s 18-20.

Campos, now 34-12 after finishing fourth in regionals, wants to improve on his two-loss-and-out effort a year ago.

“I’m excited,” he said. “Last year, I was a little nervous. It was just inexperience. It wasn’t necessarily bad. I was just learning.”

Aiden Barrios of Delta, a junior who’s 24-12, will meet Campos in the first round.

As for Silva, a rash of injuries has limited the three-sporter (he’s a defensive end in football and throws the discus in track and field) to a heavyweight record of 11-6. He finished second at regionals when he was unable to compete in the final.

Now, though, he said, “I’m feeling pretty good, pretty confident. I’m facing some tough opponents this weekend. But I’m feeling good about this. I like it. It’s a good sport.”

Silva will begin against Oswaldo Morales of Basalt, a senior who’s 26-4.

Said Howes: “There are opportunities for them if they just take them, stay focused, and listen. They were great (the past) weekend.”

ENGLEWOOD – With a champion, a runner-up and a fourth-place winner, Mullen qualified three wrestlers on Saturday for this weekend’s Colorado wrestling tournament and had eight competitors place in regionals in the beginning of the 2017-18 postseason.

Competing in the Class 3A Region 3 tournament at Englewood, Mustangs head coach John Howes said he was pleased with his team’s effort that included finishing eighth among teams.

Mullen was topped by Dimitris Flores, who won the 152-pound class. It will be his third trip to the Pepsi Center in four years (he missed last year with a concussion). Now 34-6, Flores won three consecutive decisions, the last one by 5-4, to advance.

At heavyweight, Dante Silva (13-7) earned two decisions to make it to the final, but had to forfeit the title bout because of a shoulder injury. Howes said Silva should be ready to go by Thursday’s preliminary rounds.

At 170, Sebastian Campos (34-12) fought his way to fourth and will be making his second straight state trip.

An injury probably kept another Mullen competitor from qualifying. Senior Max Thenell lost his bout to take third at 182, but had another chance in a wrestleback. However, he dislocated an elbow during competition, Howes said. Thenell finished fifth.

The three Mustangs qualifiers will have practice this week in preparation for Thursday’s 11:30 a.m. weigh-in, then the start of bouts at 3 p.m. Quarterfinals will be the first session on Friday and the semifinals will be in the evening. The parade of champions and championship matches will be Saturday night.

Mustangs set for regionals at Englewood

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

The much-anticipated postseason for wrestling is here.

And Mullen is eager.

The Mustangs will compete in the Class 3A Central Region this weekend, beginning Friday at 4 p.m. at Englewood. Championship rounds should roil into late afternoon on Saturday.

The top four in each weight class will advance to next week’s state championships at the Pepsi Center.

“It’s the best time of the year, when I get the most excited,” Mustangs head coach John Howes said. “It’s what we work for.”

Howes, in his first year heading the Mustangs after serving as an assistant, said he would be thrilled if his guys can qualify five for state. They also have two best bets – seniors Dimitris Flores (152 pounds) and Sebastian Campos (170) -- who can’t wait to get to the center of a mat.

And the word fun remains prominent in their vernacular, as it does for most wrestlers at this time of year.

“It’s going to be pretty fun, all of the work we’ve done, and what we’ve been training for as a team,” Flores said. “Basically, all of the records go away and you just go out and scrap. It doesn’t matter about any rankings.”

Flores has qualified for the third time in his career. He missed qualifying as a junior because of a concussion, but has been strong throughout 2017-18, compiling a 31-6 record.

Campos (170), seeking his second trip to the Pepsi Center, recently took his 100th career victory.

“I’m feeling loose and I’m about to have some fun,” Campos said. “I’m very excited and looking to capitalize on last year, when I qualified for state for the first time. I’m hoping to do some damage.”

“Some of the weights are tougher than heck; others not as bad, just like usual,” Howes said.

Said Flores: “It’s going to be a fun weekend.”

Grappling with improvement & eye on postseason

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

The ups. The downs. The punishment. The preparation. The rewards.

Mullen’s Mustangs are experiencing all of them and more on the mats.

Wrestlers have gotten back in full swing after the holiday break. They finished in fifth place of their own invitational the past weekend and on Thursday night dropped a dual meet to rival Cherry Creek 48-27 in Greenwood Village.

Perhaps the top two Mullen competitors, Dimitris Flores and Sebastian Campos, headed the showing in the 10-team tournament. Campos finished first at 170 pounds and Flores took second at 152. Plus, Dante Silva (Hwt.) managed third.

As for the dual meet against the Bruins, which began with the rotation of weights at heavyweight, it was tied at 27-all through 160s. However, Cherry Creek won the final four matches, two by fall.

“It was fun,” said Flores, who earned a 20-8 major decision at 152. “I wish the final score held up better, but it’s all right. This doesn’t matter; it’s all about regionals and state.”

Both teams forfeited at multiple weights and Blake Machock earned a pin at 113.

“Blake took his opportunity,” said Howes, adding that “some of them have to trust us (as coaches) when they go out there.”

Mullen, which will compete in the Class 3A postseason, will get a taste of it over the next two weekends. From Friday-Saturday, the Mustangs will be in Florence for the Mel Smith Husky Invitational that will have more than two dozen mid-range schools, many of the top programs.

“It’s going to be like the state tournament,” Howes said. “It will be a gauge of what we have to work on.”

A week later, Mullen will have dual meets with Smoky Hill and Jefferson before heading to Kersey for more top 3A competition, a series of dual meets held at Platte Valley.

“I’m pleased with the progress,” Howes said. “It’s a tough sport. We just need to keep going.”Said Flores: “We need to keep working hard and getting ready for regionals and state.”

Mustangs compete at always tough NCCT

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

In the always demanding Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament that annually draws gobs of elite wrestlers, Mullen had two competitors advance to the second day through consolations.

Held Friday-Saturday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, the Mustangs’ Dimitris Flores and Sebastian Campos experienced some success through wrestlebacks.

Flores, a senior and two-time state qualifier who missed the postseason as a junior with a concussion, dropped his opening match at 152 pounds to Miles Beam of Roosevelt by fall in 3 minutes, 45 seconds. Beam went on to finish seventh. Flores responded by winning four consecutive matches, including one by pin and another by major decision, before losing 7-0 to Canon City’s Zach Hanenberg, who finished sixth.

Campos, at 170 and also a senior, opened the tournament with three consecutive quick pins in 1:16, 27 seconds and 1:36. He was then pinned by Brighton’s Tarron Adams in 3:13. Into the consolations, Campos was pinned in 1:58 by Mason Repshire, also of Canon City.

Each weight class had brackets of 64 wrestlers. Mullen was 51st in the field of 65 teams. Windsor was first with 230.5 points. Next were Pueblo East (214) and Poudre (207.5). Mullen had 31.

The Mustangs will be idle until after the holiday break. They will host a multi-team tournament on Jan. 6.

Mustangs place at Denver North, drop two duals

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

Below are summaries of Mullen’s past three wrestling matches:

The Mustangs were dominated in a home dual meet on Wednesday night, falling to Centennial’s Eaglecrest 57-12.

They were able to take three bouts.

At 126 pounds, Aaron Gonzales earned an 8-4 decision.

Dimitris Flores (152) took a hard-fought 5-4 decision capped by a last-second takedown.

And Sebastian Campos won by quick pin at 170 – a fall in only 24 seconds.

In the Denver North Invitational the past weekend, several Mustangs placed.

In the past week’s dual against Centennial’s Arapahoe, Mullen was able to win four bouts, all by fall, in a 57-24 defeat.

At 126, Nick Machock won in the second period, at 2:56.

Flores (152) and Campos (170) had quick pins – Flores won in 23 seconds and Campos in 42.

And Thenell won his 195 bout in 2:35.

Next for the Mustangs is the annual holiday gathering up north, hosted by University at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland. Held from Friday-to-Saturday, the field will be full of high-end competitors.

Wrestlers handle Fort Lupton 44-21 in a dual

By Neil H. DevlinMullen Sports Information Specialist

“I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

But it did and John Howes earned his first dual-meet victory as Mullen’s new wrestling head coach and it was accomplished thoroughly. The Mustangs handled visiting Fort Lupton 44-21. Not that Howes, a former assistant for the Mustangs for a couple of years as well as longtime figure in Arvada, was pumping up himself or taking note of the situation… no, he was most excited about further evolvement of his wrestlers.

“They did well, listened and went out there with intensity,” Howes said of winning in the school’s historic gymnasium. It was good to sit back and watch them.”

Senior Dimitris Flores, a 152-pounder and two-time state qualifier – he suffered a concussion and missed regionals the past season – was impressive with a major decision at 152 pounds.

“It was good and our intensity was up,” he said. “We just need to keep this flow.”

Sebastian Campos (182) also earned a major decision and said “I listened to the coaches and they helped me through it, as usual.”

Campos is working to down to 170 “and you can definitely feel how much bigger they are (at 182) … I just need to keep working and break their souls.”

“It will fill in, guys will get down to weight,” Howes said of completing his 14-weight lineup. “And some guys will have enough practices in … tonight it worked out well where I could fill the holes and put kids in situations.”

Mullen had started the season against Class 5A power Grandview, which flexed its muscles in a 67-9 pounding on opening-night. The Mustangs had seven forfeits, but managed victories by Flores at 152 with a 4-3 decision and 195, where Thenell trailed 5-4 before winning by fall in 4:31.

The Mustangs then had a series of tournament duals in a weekend gathering at Golden. They went 2-3, beating Platte Canyon and Strasburg, and losing to Golden, Mountain Vista and Thomas Jefferson.

At Golden, Howes said, “we did well match-wise; team-wise, it was horrible and we forfeited a lot of matches.”

But they seem to be finding their way and are looking forward to significant competition before the holiday break. On Thursday, Dec. 7, the Mustangs will host Arapahoe at 7 p.m., then be at the Denver North Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 9. Howes said the junior-varsity tournament that was supposed to take place at the same time (at Smoky Hill) was cancelled, so there should be varsity opportunities available.

And next week will involve a dual meet against Eaglecrest as well as one of the biggies of the season, the University-run invitational at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland.

Excitement abounds, notably for Flores, who’s 7-0 and knows where he wants to head.

“There’s stuff I can work on to get better as the season goes on,” he said, “but all that matters (are) regionals and state.”

And Howes seems to be pleased with his competitors.

“You know, I am,” he said. “They’re in shape, there’s no doubt. We’re still working on the intensity, but it’s good.”

Former assistant coach John Howes, who also headed Arvada in Jefferson County for 16 years, has taken over the Mustangs after serving as an assistant with Mullen for two seasons.

Howes, who has 28 years on the job, including at Green Mountain in Lakewood, won numerous coaching awards and tutored multiple champions, said he foresees little change in terms of leadership in taking over for Vince Massey.

“After assisting with Vince the past two years, we were on the same page to begin with,” Howes said.

The Mustangs opened practice with 31 hopefuls and Howes said he expects the roster to be carried by 25-to-26 wrestlers.

A handful of Mustangs made the trip to the Pepsi Center a year ago for the Colorado tournament. Dimitris Flores, Mullen’s lone two-time state qualifier, will wrestle at either 145 or 152 pounds. Senior Sebastian Campos, another qualifier, will handle 170. Aaron Gonzales (126) and Cole Nading (152 or 160) also are in search of another state trip.

After the holidays, Howes said, John Sumner, a transfer from Faith Christian (he was at 126 a year ago), will be eligible after being forced to sit out the first half of the season.

Mullen lost other qualifiers and challengers through injury or health problems, but Howes remains optimistic.

“If they stay focused all year, we can definitely get four or five into the state tournament and I think three or four can place,” he said.

However, he added, “the difficult thing is this is the first time I’ve coached outside the building in 19 years, and being an assistant didn’t bother me as much, but being the head coach and not being in the building could be a little bit difficult.”

Difficult? Mullen’s schedule will be difficult. “Tough as hell,” is how Howes put it. The Mustangs will open the season with a Centennial League foe, Grandview, on Nov. 30. Next will be the Golden tournament, a couple of duals, then the Northern Colorado Tournament in Loveland from Dec. 15-16.

In addition to matches against the likes of Arapahoe, Cherry Creek, Overland, Cherokee Trail, etc., in 5A league, also look for a trip to the Mel Smith Husky Invitational in Florence Tournament Jan. 12-13, when the Mustangs will go against most of the top 3A and 2A schools, then a trip to the 3A regionals, the Central group, Feb. 9-10 at Englewood.

The state tournament will be Feb. 15-17.

John Howes promoted to head coach

By Mullen Staff

Mullen is pleased to announce John Howes as its new head wrestling coach.

Athletic director Vince Massey stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Howes to the Mullen community. Coach Howes’ résumé speaks for itself, and he has been a major contributor to Mullen’s wrestling success these past two years (as an assistant). We believe Coach Howes is the perfect coach to lead Mullen wrestling into the future.”

Howes, in his 28-year coaching career, has placed 32 wrestlers in the state tournament, coached nine state champions, had three wrestlers selected to All-Colorado teamz, two wrestlers named as wrestler of the year, and had two wrestlers receive the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. Other additional accomplishments in his many years of service on the mat include an NFSHCA National Championship with two runner-up finishes and nine total placers. Five of those wrestlers finished in the top 20 of the NFSHCA.

Mr. Howes has spent the last two seasons working as a Mullen assistant coach, and brings to his new position a wealth of coaching experience. He was an assistant wrestling coach at Green Mountain for eight years and at Arvada for two years. He was Arvada’s head coach for 16 years and was a two-time all-state coach, a Jeffco 4A coach of the year, and a three-time Jeffco coach of the year.

An in-state teacher for the past 27 years, John loves to travel the world and has been on 20 building-service projects throughout Mexico, Eleuthria, and Central America. Lisa, his wife of 29 years, and John have two sons, Brock and Bolton. Brock is currently a student at North Park University in Chicago, and Bolton is working on a PHD Fellowship at Princeton University.

Contact

Mullen Softball Alumni will host a gathering on Jan. 26 from 3-5 p.m. at Old Chicago in Lakewood.

The still new coaching staff and alumni will meet for appetizers and drinks at 3550 S. Wadsworth.

There also will be free Mullen Softball Alumni T-shirts for attendees and families.

Sumner's 8th place tops Mustangs at Jimmy John's NCCT in Loveland

Sunday, December 16, 2018

John Sumner finished eighth at 145 pounds on Saturday, the only Mustang to place at the always strong Jimmy John’s Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament contested in Loveland.

Now 17-4, the junior topped Mullen, which scored 44 points to tie for 46th with Castle View and Overland in the 72-team field that included out-of-state teams.

Mullen will be idle through the holiday break and resume competition in a home tournament on Saturday, Jan. 12, with Alameda, Bear Creek, Evergreen, Grandview, Lotus School for Excellence, Mesa Ridge, Plate Canyon and University.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Mat matters: Mustangs grab 2nd dual win, beat Bear Creek 50-18

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

In earning its second dual-meet victory, Mullen beat Bear Creek 50-18 on Tuesday night in the Old Gym.

Five Mustangs were the better wresters head-to-head in the 14-weight meeting that also was laced with forfeits.

Taking quick pins against the Jefferson County Bears to top the local list were freshman Mark Troni (120 pounds) in 27 seconds and Aaron Gonzales (126) in a second fall in less than a minute, 56 seconds. Cullen Martinez (220) earned a third mat slap for Mullen late in the second period, winning in 3:57.

At 113, Noah Linares won by technical fall and Nick Machock may have turned in the match of the night, winning 7-6 in the final seconds on a reverse.

Four other weights resulted in forfeit victories for the Mustangs and there was a double no-entry at 106.

Another dual will precede the final tournament before the holiday break – the Mustangs will be in Aurora on Thursday, Dec. 13, 7 p.m., to meet Cherokee Trail in the Centennial League. Saturday, Dec. 15, will be the always interesting and loaded Old Chicago Northern Colorado in Loveland.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Early winter efforts bring back a buzz around campus

Monday, December 03, 2018

It was only the first week and there’s certainly no need to begin entertaining state-championship ideas.

Then again, early promise, a wave of returnees and increased interest has Mullen winter-sporters and their followers rather excited.

To wit:

--- Boys basketball is off to a 2-0 start. The Mustangs waxed two Jefferson County teams through a combination of improved and tight seniors, plus a dab of newbies. At first glance, they seem to be able to regularly offer the full gamut of an inside-outside game, easily getting into transition, defending and containing a rotation without losing much whoever is on the floor.

--- Girls basketball won a season-opening tournament, is dominated by underclassmen with a sprinkling of talented freshmen, and looks as if it’s playing without fear. Even better, the Mustangs also offer height, a glaring void in 2017-18. It’s no small point – they can now play man-to-man defense instead of sitting in a zone. Height matters.

--- Hutchison Fieldhouse was fairly crowded for the first two boys hoops games and it appears attendance will remain on the upswing, including for girls. Coaches and athletes are sincerely following – and rooting for – peers in other games and events.

--- Girls swimmers and divers have gotten a bunch of state-qualifying out of the way and showed well in an eight-team meet in which the other seven school entrants were Class 5A (the Mustangs are 4A). They were sixth at the state meet in 2018 and are staring at getting higher,

--- Wrestlers have more than two dozen Mustangs on the roster and they contain some experienced and newer talent. There are still some holes in assorted weight classes, but there’s quality to offset the lack of quantity.

--- On the ice, Mustangs hockey players now number enough to field something of a junior-varsity team and all of the underclassmen from a season ago are back to seriously challenge for a playoff spot. You should have seen their opener, in which they fell late to Columbine – the stands were packed and students lined one side of the boards.

--- And as for the winter coaches? If there is a more-excited group around Hampden Avenue and Lowell Boulevard, show us. From the head folks to the assistants, there’s bounce in their steps, purpose in their direction, and life in their statements.

Of course, it was only the first week, there are many more to handle, there’s a holiday break to deal with and nothing’s promised.

But for openers, it was the kind Mustangs winter-sporters and their followers needed.

It basically amounts to an extra game, although it won’t count in the standings and the statistics will be meaningless. However, opportunity to play for a cause and purpose as well as participating in extra basketball couldn’t be ignored.

Mullen will have its chances, on Jan. 19 at Hutchison Fieldhouse against Holy Family, and rival Regis Jesuit and its girls will have theirs, Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Arapahoe to provide an ealry peek at the event.

Mustangs head coach Bob Caton will be watching.

Opportunity for a 24th game, Caton said, “was brought up in the coaches clinic and you can do whatever you want with it.”

While the Regis Jesuit-Arapahoe boys won’t play, the girls will at 7 p.m. and have opted to focus on mental-health issues and proceeds from the game will go toward the cause in the wake of multiple teen suicides this school year for the Warriors in Centennial. In Mullen’s case, there will be both boys and girls games, lower-level games, feeder-school games as well as a unified game. Its focus will be on a salute to the old Parochial League.

“It doesn’t count on your record or in the RPI (qualifying) and you can’t list it (in the team schedule), and you still only get 23 legitimate (regular-season) games, but this gives you the 24th and everyone is doing it differently,” Caton said. “We’re making it (a real game), so kids get to play another game.

“While we’re honoring the old Parochial League, others are trying to make it a fundraiser … and that’s great what Arapahoe and Regis are doing for suicide prevention.”

A fee to the state organization was required for the chance to host the events and the amount depended on how many games were to be played, but Caton added that there will be regular referees and most everything that is necessary to host games, as well as bringing back a number of coaches and players from the old Catholic-school group. It’s a salute to Mullen’s beginnings in athletics against a lot of schools that no longer exist.

“Not a lot of other people are doing it,” Caton said, “but I would do 25 if they let us. Kids love to play games. I think it’s a good idea.”

--- Neil H. Devlin

Games on! Winter competitors begin practice as it’s open season

Monday, November 12, 2018

Today, Monday, Nov. 12, is the day for winter-sporters across Colorado.

Mullen junior Will Locascio took advantage of cooler temperatures for a hotter time.

In finishing in 16 minutes, 16 seconds, Locascio took third place on Saturday at the annual Windjammer Invitational at Englewood.

He led the Mustangs to 10th place in the 25-team field. Nick Espinola (54th, 17:55); Owen McCarter (79th, 18:33); Jack Tolbert (87th, 18:43); and Aidan Schwarz (99th, 18:43) also accounted for the scoring.

It nearly cost him a chance at making the state tournament for tennis, but J.P. Starkey visited the hallowed ground of Harvard the past Sunday.

The Mullen junior was part of perhaps 100 lacrosse hopefuls who flocked to Cambridge, Mass., that were getting a look-see by the Crimson staff.

It was just about a slice of Heaven for Starkey, who plays attack for the Mustangs.

“We stayed in Harvard Square across from the sports complex,” Starkey said. “It was a cool place and we got to walk on campus a bit. The sports complex is off the charts. The facilities they have there are impressive. We didn’t get to play in the stadium. We played on the rugby field. But it’s really cool.”

A member of the Colorado Fire lacrosse team, Starkey said he received an e-mail to set up his tryout that included drills and competition, but it also came with an injury. He fell and injured his left wrist at the beginning of the day.

A trip to the doctor diagnosed it as a sprain or broken growth plate and it made it interesting heading into Wednesday’s Class 4A regional play. Starkey plays No. 1 doubles with Dante Dino and the pain followed him into the opening round.

How did he handle it?

“With a brace and a bunch of tape and Advil,” Starkey said.

He said he was able to get through the first set of play and “I had to figure out how to hit with it. But Dante played extremely well and we got through it.”

Starkey and Dino wound up winning the No. 1 doubles spot to qualify for next week’s 4A tournament, including 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

Ultimately, Starkey-Dino helped Mullen to account for six of the seven berths by the Mustangs for the 4A tournament that will run from Oct. 11-13.

Mullen won recent, back-to-back, one-run decisions in softball; boys soccer dropped a third consecutive Centennial League game; and volleyball lost another league sweep in recent Mustangs sports news.

The softball team, which had lost nine games in succession, snapped the long drought with a 5-4 victory at home against Grandview on Saturday before getting past host Smoky Hill 7-6 on Thursday. Both were in the Centennial.

Junior Marissa Sanchez earned the weekend pitching victory and was 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, but had lots of help and it went beyond the Mustangs being guilty of only one error. Tiffanie Brieno had a double, RBI and run scored. Avery Panozzo singled and scored as did Bella Hawkins. Margaret Bertsch tripled, scored a run, sacrificed and drove home two. And Bella Sevier singled and had two RBIs.

Sanchez went the distance and was touched for eight hits, but struck out 10 and walked only one.

At Smoky Hill, Hawkins had two doubles among three safeties to pace a 12-hit attack. Hawkins also scored a run. Brieno scored twice, had two hits and walked two times. Emma DiGiacomo doubled, singled and scored two runs. Sanchez doubled, singled and drove home two runs. Bertsch had a single and RBI. Sevier contributed two singles, a run scored and RBI.

Sanchez was touched for nine hits, three home runs among them, and the six runs, but battled through and struck out four.

The Mustangs improved to 6-14 and next will host Overland on Thursday, first pitch at 4 p.m., to wrap up league play, where they are 2-4. They will travel to Fairview in Boulder on Saturday, 4 p.m.

In boys soccer, coach Matthew Guglielmo’s Mustangs fell 4-1 at home to Cherokee Trail to remain winless in league play.

Sophomore Patrick Keeley had the only goal for Mullen, now 6-4 overall, 0-3 league.

The Mustangs will resume play on the pitch on Thursday against powerful Arapahoe (9-0-2, 3-0) at Littleton Public Schools Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

As for volleyball, the Mustangs lost 19-25, 16-25, 10-25 at home to Grandview. It was their fifth consecutive loss and kept them winless in league at 7-7 overall, 0-5 in league.

Mullen, which also has lost its past three matches by sweeps, will be at Smoky Hill on Thursday, 6:45 p.m.

Volleyball drops a close one, 3-1 at Eaglecrest in Centennial League play

Friday, September 21, 2018

Mullen volleyball dropped a close on the road on Thursday night, 3-1 to host Eaglecrest in Centennial.

However, it was a gradual improvement from a year ago and Mullen appreciates the climb.

No. 1 singles player George Henry Hanzel, a sophomore on the underclassmen-dominated team, is enjoying the ride and is realistic about it. He fell 6-1, 6-2 to a very good Richter Jordaan and felt much better about his play. Jordaan was the runner-up at Class 4A No. 1 singles as a freshman and last year was third at No. 1 singles.

Jordaan also is considered a top player in the five state region, Hanzel said, “and you have to know he’s better than you, but you still give 100 percent. It’s the very point. Otherwise, there’s no point in playing the match if you don’t even try.”

The growth evident in the early part of the season that is emerging despite being in the heavy part of its schedule has been there for Mullen.

“I think last year we were just getting the hang of it, but now this year we’re bigger and stronger and everything, and we have a better of chance of being competitive with (the likes of) Kent Denver, Arapahoe an CA,” Hanzel said.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Spring has sprung: Mullen set for Season No. 3

Monday, February 26, 2018

There’s still snow on the ground throughout much of Colorado, so it can only mean one thing concerning high schools – the spring sports season is here.

The third of three sports seasons in the school year includes seven sports and the Mustangs will field entries in all of them – baseball, girls golf, boys and girls lacrosse, girls soccer, boys swimming and diving, girls tennis, and boys and girls track and field.

There will be three new head coaches for the Mustangs – Jim Alexander in baseball, Melynda Brown in girls lacrosse and Ashley Tait in girls golf.

Weather permitting, girls golf and girls tennis may open competition on Thursday, March 1. All others are slated to open on Thursday, March 8.

Below is a spring schedule outline for Mustangs by sport:

Baseball: Regular season runs through May 8; 5A districts to be completed, May 12; 5A Championship Series, May 18-19 and May 25-26, All-City Field.

Girls golf: Regular season runs through May 4; regionals to be completed by May 11; 3A state championship, Elmwood Golf Course, Pueblo, May 21-22.

Boys lacrosse: Regular season runs through May 5; 5A boys lacrosse playoffs, May 10-May 18, final at Mile High Stadium.

Girls lacrosse: Regular season runs through May 5; playoffs May 9-23, final at University of Denver.

Girls soccer: Regular season runs through May 5; 4A playoffs May 8-23, final at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.

Boys swimming and diving: Regular season runs through May 12; 4A championships, May 18-19, U.S. Air Force Academy.

Girls tennis: Regular season runs through April 27; regionals to be completed by May 5; 4A state championships, May 10-12, Pueblo City Park.

Boys and girls track and field: Regular season runs through May 12; 4A state championship May, 17-19, Jefferson County Stadium.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Maddi Lane to receive rugby award from Sportswomen of Colorado

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

It’s a busy time for Maddi Lane.

The senior at Mullen is on the mend from suffering three concussions. She’s training to keep up her rugby skills. She’s dealing with keeping her grade-point average above a 4.0. She’s headed out of state to visit some college campuses.

And she won an award from Sportswomen of Colorado.

Lane will receive the rugby award from the organization that annually highlights female athletics. She will join other winners in the 44th annual awards program on Sunday, March 11.

“I’m nervous and I didn’t know what to expect,” Lane said in commenting on her application being sent in, then recognized. “I didn’t think I would win it.”

Lane, whose mother, Karen, is an administrative assistant in Mustangs athletics, played for the West Side Swarm Club team the past fall that finished second in Colorado. She said she’s “not sure if I’ll play this spring. The plan right now is to lay low. I’ve gotten the three concussions within the past year and I really want to play in college. I’m just trying to take a recovery break.”

Her spring team is the Rocky Mountain Rebels and her primary positon is scrum-half.

As for colleges, Lane said, “I’m kind of all over.” Academic-wise, she said, her applications to Montana State and St. Mary’s, Calif., have been submitted. She’s also accepted at Long Island University-Post and Kutztown, Pa., and both have offered. She’ll also be checking out Queens in Charlotte, N.C.

“I’m looking east for rugby,” Lane said. “It’s more dominant on the East Coast … I just don’t know if I want to be that far away.”

If not, she also has applied to Regis Jesuit. Her GPA is 4.1 and remains undecided on a major, although international studies is an option “to help people.”

The banquet will take place at the Denver Marriott Tech Center. Susie Wargin and Marcia Neville will handle the microphones. Sportswomen received a record number of nominations and will present 57 awards, plus the Sportswoman of the Year. More information at www.sportswomenofcolorado.org/banquet.

WINNERS

Michaela Onyenwere - Basketball - High School (Grandview High School)

Kennedy Leonard - Basketball - College (University of Colorado)

Elizabeth Constien - Cross Country - High School (Battle Mountain High School)

Jim Turgeon - Coach of the Year - College (Colorado State University - Pueblo - Basketball)

Mary Mosher-Stathes - Empowerment (Rosie's Ranch - Englewood, CO)

Joy Rondeau- Inspiration (Grand County, CO)

Caryn Jarocki - Milestone (Highlands Ranch High School)

Abby Farrell- Para-Olympic Athlete of the Year (University of Illinois/Colorado Springs, CO)

Jennifer Jansonius - Perseverance (Broomfield, CO)

Jessie Banks - Dorothy Mauk Pioneer Award (Pueblo, Colorado)

Geneva Gray - Trailblazer (Bacone College - Oklahoma)

Six honorees will become members of the hall of fame for receiving three awards in the same sport over the years. They join an impressive list, including Mikaela Shiffrin, Ellen Hart, Emma Coburn, Jenny Simpson and Missy Franklin.

Hall members are not eligible to receive awards in their sport in future years, but will remain eligible for Special Awards and Sportswoman of the Year.

Maya Evans - Basketball

Lindsay Horan - Soccer

Samantha Martinelli - Tennis

Michaela Onyenwere - Basketball

Carson Saaybe - Shooting

Bridget Sutter - Lacrosse

--- Compiled by Neil H. Devlin

Busy sports weekend to include ice hockey gathering and tribute to Sawyer Dow

Thursday, January 18, 2018

Despite no classes because of parent-teacher conferences at the end of the week, Mullen winter sports will have a busy couple of days, notably on Saturday, when the Mustangs will host a tribute to Sawyer Dow.

Before the Mustangs’ ice hockey game at the Edge Ice Arena against Pueblo County, there will be a moment of silence for Dow, a senior who was killed recently in Clear Creek Canyon. The community is invited to come out and celebrate his life with Mullen students, share some pizza and swap memories while enjoying the Highlands Conference game.

The puck will drop at 8:30 p.m. Mullen is 3-8 overall, 2-6 in conference. Most recently, it blitzed Woodland Park 9-0. The Hornets are 9-1, 8-0, and right behind conference-leading Valor Christian (10-0 in the Highlands). The two teams will have the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday, 2:30 p.m., at Pueblo Plaza Ice Arena.

The Mustangs boys and girls basketball teams also held moments of silence for Dow earlier this week in addition to players either wearing T-shirts in his honor or marking themselves as a show of support for him.

On Friday, basketballers will take on Overland in the Centennial League. In boys, where the Trailblazers have rallied after a 1-7 start to even their overall mark and race to a 5-0 league start, are currently in command of the Centennial. They beat Grandview by a point on a 3-point buzzer-beater on Wednesday. Mullen, now 8-5, 3-2, is coming off a 66-40 home victory against Cherokee Trail and matched its most league victories since the 2009-10 season.

And in girls, the Mustangs are 6-8, 3-2, and fresh from a 62-51 victory at Cherokee Trail. The Trailblazers are 4-7, 2-2.

As for wrestling, the Mustangs will be in the dual meets at Jefferson on Friday, then head to Kersey on Saturday for a series of duals at Platte Valley.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Mullen sports action to resume on Jan. 2 and include grade-school play

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Welcome back.

The second half of the 2017-18 sports year for Mullen will begin on Jan. 2 despite classes not resuming until Jan. 8.

On Tuesday, boys basketball will host Aurora’s Grandview, tip-off at 6 p.m. It will be the first of three meetings for Mullen with the Wolves – the two will meet twice later in the Centennial League, but this one will fill a previously open spot for both programs and be nonleague.

Ice hockey will have two demanding games in the week. First, the Mustangs will host regular-challenger Valor Christian on Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., at the Edge Ice Arena, then travel to Family Sports Center Hamilton on Friday to meet always powerful and longtime-rival Regis Jesuit.

On Thursday, boys and girls basketballers on all levels will open league play against Arapahoe, with the boys being on the road and girls at home at Hutchison Fieldhouse. Varsity games will start at 7 p.m.

Girls swimmers will compete in the GrandVista Invitational at Littleton from Friday-Saturday that also will include Lotus School for Excellence, Northridge, Platte Canyon, Ralston Valley, Rampart, Evergreen and Grandview.

Saturday competition also will involve boys and girls basketball at Eaglecrest – boys varsity at 4:30 p.m. and girls at 6 p.m. – as well as the Mustangs Invitational for wrestling, an all-day gathering that will feature finals matches at approximately 4 p.m.

In addition, on Jan. 2 Mullen will have Celebrate the New Year Basketball Games prior to its matchup against Grandview. Several top club teams on the grade-school level as well as feeder teams for Mullen will be in action and coached by familiar names.

Bob Caton and Tony Schenbeck, each with Mullen ties, have been named to the latest hall of fame class of the Colorado High School Coaches Association.

Caton is in his first season of heading Mustangs boys basketball and Schenbeck had two long stints in Mullen coaching and administration.

A Denver West graduate and familiar figure on city-area basketball sidelines for decades, Caton uniquely played in the CHSCA all-state game – in 1967 in Pueblo – as well as coached in it, in 1985 and 2011. A man who has more than 500 victories with other stops at Manual, Denver West, George Washington, Aurora Central and Highlands Ranch, Caton’s teams own two state runner-up finishes, six trips to the final four and 14 times to the quarterfinals. He’s also a former team captain and MVP at Colorado State.

When he took over the Mustangs program to start the 2017-18 season, athletic director Vince Massey referred to Caton “a legend.”

As for Schenbeck, the Nebraskan and Northern Colorado graduate started his career at Mead Junior High before landing at Mullen, where his 10-year stint included leading the baseball program to a state title (1978) and a runner-up finish (1972). A 20-year run as baseball coach and athletic director followed at the new Overland in Aurora and included the 1990 championship and 1989 semifinals appearance. Then it was back to Mullen for another nine years (with a semifinals showing in 2002). All told, his teams were 398-269, he had 40 years on the jobs and he coached in the all-state game six times, three at Mile High Stadium, where the Denver Bears played.

Caton and Schenbeck are joined in the class with Swink’s Al Blanc, who coached boys basketball for nearly 50 years; Prairie’s Maggie Kilmer, a stalwart in volleyball who was there at the outset of female sanctioning; and Simla’s Al Snyder, well-known in small-school girls basketball and who will join his wife, Sue, in the hall.

Induction ceremony will be March 24 at the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast in Aurora, 5:30 p.m. Tickets and additional information can be found at www.colochsa.org.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Boys hoops tourney set for Thursday-Saturday

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The Mullen Holiday Classic Tournament for boys basketball has been set.

It will be played Thursday through Saturday at the Hutchison Fieldhouse.

Host Mullen will play on Friday, 7 p.m., against Pomona, then on Saturday, 2 p.m., against Thompson Valley.

Sports season No. 2 on the annual docket, winter, will begin competition on Wednesday (Nov. 29).

Mullen will field teams in boys and girls basketball, ice hockey, girls swimming and diving, and wrestling.

There are two new head coaches this season – longtime Colorado figure Bob Caton now is in command of boys basketball and John Howes, a former assistant to Vince Massey and longtime figure in Jefferson County, has taken over wrestling. Frank Cawley remains as head girls basketball coach, Susan Stone continues to lead Mustangs in the pool and Devon Brady heads ice hockey.

As usual, winter sports will overlap with the final three football titles of the fall season, which will be played on Saturday (Dec. 2), and shut down over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period. First state titles will be contested in February, then wrap up in mid-March.

Mullen competitors will have a busy first week.

Boys basketballers will have two home games, opening on Wednesday against Abraham Lincoln, then hosting longtime parochial-rival Regis Jesuit on Saturday. Tip-offs will be 7 p.m.

In girls basketball, opening night will be Thursday. The Mustangs will meet Broomfield at 5:30 p.m. at the ThunderRidge-Castle View Tournament to be held in Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock. They’ll also play in the Douglas County District-sponsored gathering on Friday and Saturday, times and foes TBD.

Concerning wrestling, Mullen starts with a dual meet on Thursday, 7 p.m., at Grandview in Aurora. The Mustangs also will be in the Golden Tournament on Saturday, an all-day affair.

In the pool, Mullen will begin with a meet at Arapahoe on Thursday, 5 p.m., then travel to ever-present Cherry Creek in Greenwood Village on Saturday.

And on the ice, Mullen will host Denver East on Saturday, 8:30 p.m., at the Edge Ice Arena.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Winter sports set to begin practice on Friday

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Season No. 2 can open practice on Friday.

Boys and girls basketball, ice hockey, boys and girls skiing, girls swimming and diving, and wrestling are set to open winter sports. Preseason practice will last for nearly three weeks.

Winter’s regular season may begin on Nov. 29 as there once again will be overlap with the end of the fall season.

As usual, the holidays will interrupt winter play from before Christmas until after New Year’s Day.

Below are key dates and sites for each sport as related to Mullen:

Boys and girls basketball – Season begins Nov. 29. Regular season runs through Feb. 17. Playoff brackets to be released on Feb. 18. Championship March 10 at the Denver Coliseum.

Ice hockey – Season begins Nov. 29. Regular season runs through Feb. 17. Playoff bracket to be released on Feb. 18. Championship March 5.

Boys and girls skiing – Season begins Nov. 29. Regular season runs through Feb. 17. State championship May 22-23 hosted by Lake County.

Mullen honored senior Max Thenell, a popular football team member who has autism, with an award on Frifday night in the game against Northglenn.

He was presented with the Brandon Burlsworth Award, which goes to a senior player who demonstrates great team character and sportsmanship.

It is for an individual who is an outstanding teammate and expects very little in return.

The players gets recognition for hard work and contributions to the team, yet gives his all every single day.

It was presented to him by his uncle, head coach Tom Thenell, in a ceremony on the field before the game. It was Senior Night.

--- Neil H. Devlin

I

Northglenn at Mullen will be Broncos high school game of the week

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

In its final home game of the regular season, Mullen football will have an interesting partner of sorts for pregame festivities in Friday Night Lights.

The Denver Broncos.

The Mustangs’ game in Week 10 of 2017 against Northglenn in the Class 5A Mt. Cameron League will also be the Broncos high school game of the week. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., tailgating at Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at de La Salle Stadium will include the Broncos Cheerleaders, Super Bowl Trophies and Children’s Hospital Colorado/Broncos giveaways. In addition, the game can be heard on iHeartRadio.

Here is a schedule:

Pictures and autographs with Broncos cheerleaders as well as Broncos alumni, 6-6:50 p.m.

Pictures with Super Bowl L Trophy, 6-7 p.m.

Children's Hospital tent giveaway before the game.

The Mustangs, 2016 league champions and state quarterfinalists, are 4-5 overall, 2-2 in league. They currently stand 13th in RPI playoff-qualifying through their considerable schedule that included games against the likes of Pomona, two-time defending 5A state champion Valor Christian, Bothell, Wash., Columbine and Fairview. Sixteen teams will be announced in the Class 5A postseason bracket on Sunday.

Northglenn is 5-4, 1-3.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Parris again played on All-Academic Team in Arizona Classic in baseball

Friday, October 13, 2017

Mullen baseballer Reggie Parris recently played in the Arizona Senior Fall Classic on the All-Academic Team.

It was the second straight year Parris played in the game. He made it through his club team, Slammers Martin.

It was held at the Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona.

In the spring, Parris helped the Mustangs to a 10-10 mark in the Class 5A Centennial League. He pitched, played 1st base and in the outfield.

In 10 pitching appearances, he was 3-2 on the mound with a 3.20 earned-run average. He also was 2-for-6 batting with 4 RBIs, according to statistics posted by the Mustangs.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Like others, Mustangs on the pitch embarrassed by U.S. Soccer failure

Thursday, October 12, 2017

I laughed as much as I was disgusted a few years ago, when U.S. Soccer suddenly decreed that promising teenagers playing the high-school game were considered as completely wasting their time and the people who ran the national pitch insisted that they switch to academy play.

It was supposed to help U.S. standing among world soccer powers.

But on Tuesday night, when the good, ol’ U.S. was unceremoniously ousted from World Cup qualifying, I had pretty much the same feelings, although laughter probably had a comfortable edge.

Not only was our country in a weak qualifying group, but the U.S. fell 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago. Not some soccer juggernaut such as Brazil or Germany or Italy, but Trinidad and Tobago.

For those of you just joining us, Trinidad and Tobago.

Mullen soccer folks can spot a joke when they see one.

“Who even knows where Trinidad and Tobago is?” Mullen senior and leading scorer Andrew Seaman wondered. “A lot of kids can’t find it on the map. I had a world report on it and had never heard of it.”

ESPN led the assault on the national program, ripping everyone from the director to the players. And why not? The sport that was supposed to sweep our country for at least the past five decades hasn’t even come close. The alleged beautiful game suddenly has an ugly following ... if anything resembling a following at all.

“I don’t think that a couple of people tweeting about it or having a theory fully covers the breadth and scope of what’s wrong,” Mullen head coach Matthew Guglielmo said.

The coach laments the lack of people of color not playing the game in this country as well as the astronomical costs of entering young players into the clubs and academies, turning it into an upper-class sport versus what is considered more of a sport for the poor across the planet.

And it’s not working.

“Something’s wrong,” Guglielmo said. “We’re trying to use a European or South American model that can’t be constructed.”

Discarding high-school soccer also is a ludicrous, he added: “It will never be the end of high-school soccer, but they haven’t done their jobs.”

Said Seaman: “I don’t get it, either. Soccer is soccer, whether you’re playing a good team or a bad team, or in club.”

And not knowing what to do with top prospects or how to develop them has been an American problem for generations. It has been underlined – the rest of the world plays real soccer; what happens in the U.S. is something else entirely.

“If my kids are studs, really good and boys, I’ll just send them to Italy or France,” Guglielmo said. “It’s not happening here. We don’t have the funding for it, it’s not on (television), people don’t care …”

Seaman termed it as “an embarrassment. We have no soccer teams and for the people who watch it’s really bad. The MLS (Major League Soccer) is, like, the laughingstock of soccer.”

And while U.S. head coach Bruce Arena was on TV attempting to deflect criticism and remain resistant to massive changeover, practically everyone else screamed for wholesale, sweeping change.

That is, if they cared., a fact U.S. Soccer officials must now consider.

“Heads have to roll everywhere,” Guglielmo said.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Keep up and pay attention, or you'll fall back

Monday, October 09, 2017

The dominoes effect is under way for fall state championships.

So pay attention to the information below and try to keep up …

Beginning with Saturday’s climax of boys tennis championships, the mad dash is on for the fall postseason.

In addition to tennis, softball will have regional action on Saturday.

Keeping the train moving, on Oct. 16 the state softball pairings will be released with play from Oct. 20-21 at the Aurora Sports Park. Oct. 21 also is the day for final, regular-season play in boys soccer and volleyball, as well as 6-man football.

And on it goes … soccer pairings will be released on Sunday, Oct. 22. The field hockey title will be decided on Oct. 26. The cross country championships will be Saturday, Oct. 28 at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs.

More? State gymnastics from Nov. 3-4 at Thornton High. Larger-class football will end its regular season on Nov. 4. Soccer championships on Nov. 11 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. And, lest we forget, winter sports will begin practice on Nov. 10. They can play for keeps on Nov. 29

The top two classes of football will decide crowns on Dec. 2 at the Broncos’ Stadium.

Busy? You bet. It’s the way of the Colorado student-athlete at this time of year.

--- Neil H. Devlin

5 Mullen facts to know heading into state golf

Friday, September 29, 2017

Here are five facts to know about Mullen heading into Colorado’s Class 4A boys golf tournament on Monday and Tuesday:

It will be contested at Raccoon Creek Golf Course in Littleton that has hosted two girls championships and one other for boys. The Mustangs got in a practice round on Friday.

It will play at par-72 and about 7,000 yards. Think “Caddyshack.” “Big hitter, the Lama … l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g.”

The head professional is Pat Tait, father of Ashley Tait, a Mustang who was medalist three times in the early-to-mid-2000s. The elder Tait has been a pro for 29 years (also at The Meadows G.C.), the past 20 at Raccoon Creek.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Suddenly stating principles doesn't mask bad behavior and examples

Monday, September 25, 2017

Certainly, unless you were under a rock and missed Sunday football, you saw what happened across the NFL.

Players and others in the league refused to traditionally stand for the National Anthem. Some stayed in the locker room. Others knelt. A few displayed raised, clenched fists.

The debate rages on as to whether or not you stand with the President and his comments or if you side with the players, who also were a bit divided as to why they actually were trying to protest and if Sunday was the end of it or there would be more.

But there is zero debate about the following – even with players insisting they were concerned about making social change, they certainly did little to even hint at making a switch in their on-field antics that clearly have gotten way out of hand.

To wit (and without bothering to name names because you know who they are):

A New York Giants receiver who has been hurt and whining about his salary scored his first touchdown of the season and promptly went to all fours and pretended to defecate on the field like a K-9. Afterward, he was quoted as saying “I’m a dog.”

A Chicago defensive back had a blocked field goal fall right in between the numbers on the front of his jersey. He took off to run for what should have been an easy 71-yard touchdown, but in order to be ready to celebrate and let the crowd and world know what he did, he slowed near the 5-yard line, was caught from behind and had the ball knocked out of his hands, thereby erasing what would have been a sure score. “I thought I was in,” he said. “But, you know, obviously, I wasn’t.”

And a Denver defender, one who’s ordinarily a high-character guy, knocked down a quarterback, got up, reached out to lend a hand to help up the quarterback, then suddenly pulled back as if to say: “Psych!” He was given an unsportsmanlike penalty that helped lead to a loss.

They weren’t alone as for some reason seemingly every tackle, sack, knocked-down pass, catch, pass, rush, return, block or kick on every Sunday of every month of every season apparently needs to be “celebrated” so that players “can have fun.”

However, if the Fun Boys suddenly insist they are principled and stand together in what just recently was a more-divided NFL, and want to display a stand on something, it would be easier to take them much more seriously if their self-centered shenanigans all about I, me and mine (and their money) didn’t set such a horrid example of how to act on the field for kids, notably high-school players who frequently hang on their every action.

Mullen dropped its second consecutive Centennial League softball game on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Cherry Creek in Greenwood Village.

The Mustangs dipped to 7-6 overall, 0-2 in league.

“We left too many runners on base and didn’t have the timely hitting,” Mustangs head coach Greg Hogan said.

The Mustangs stranded seven runners and didn’t back up the six-hit pitching of sophomore Marissa Sanchez, including making two throwing errors.

A very busy week awaits the Mustangs, four games in six days, three in league. On Monday, they will be at Cherokee Trail in Aurora; home against Smoky Hill on Tuesday; at Air Academy on Thursday; and home against Overland on Saturday.

“We’ve got to get some ‘W’s’, got to get it going,” Hogan said.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Don't blink, the first postseason event of 2017-18 is upon us

Monday, September 18, 2017

Time flies.

Don’t argue.

Believe it or not, the postseason for 2017-18 begins Tuesday (Sept. 19). Mullen’s boys golfers will be in Colorado Springs competing in regional rounds, the step before the state tournament.

I know, I almost can’t believe it, either. But the boys golf season is short, begins in August and here we are.

It could be interesting for Mullen, perhaps right away as well as long term. The Mustangs will be sending one sophomore (Cole Reister) and three freshmen (Mario Dino, Thomas Hicks and Rhett Johnson) to the Country Club of Colorado. All have enjoyed assorted moments this season and they did well as a group by keeping within range of Centennial League powers Arapahoe and Cherry Creek.

They will be playing in Class 4A Region 2 along with members from Air Academy, Arvada, Cheyenne Mountain, D’Evelyn, Elizabeth, Green Mountain, Littleton, Mitchell, Ponderosa, Pueblo County, Standley Lake, Wheat Ridge, Valor Christian, Vista Ridge and George Washington.

And they have an opportunity to send one, two, three or all four players to the 4A championship, Oct. 2-3 at Raccoon Creek G.C. In Littleton.

So, yes, it goes by quickly.

Pay attention before you miss it.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Soccer match postponed after Silver Creek bus in an accident

Saturday, September 02, 2017

Mullen’s boys soccer home match on Friday against Longmont’s Silver Creek was postponed after an accident.

The Raptors were travelling to the match and their bus was involved in an accident, according to Mullen coach Matthew Guglielmo.

Mullen will return to action on Friday, 4:30 p.m., at home against Longmont’s Silver Creek in another 4A nonleaguer.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Boys soccer ties 2-2 at Steamboat Springs

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Mullen hit the road into the mountains on Saturday and earned a tie.

The Mustangs drew at host Steamboat Springs, 2-2, in their second match of the season, a Class 4A nonleaguer.

Ryan Irvine and Christian Rapp scored for Mullen, which now is 1-0-1 on the season.

The Mustangs next will see action on Monday, in their home opener, 4:30 p.m., against nearby John F. Kennedy of the Denver Prep League.

Former K/P JK Scott alive and kicking at Alabama

Friday, August 25, 2017

Remember JK Scott? The tall, lean kick/punter who starred for Mullen from 2010-13?

He has been punting since his freshman season for perennial power Alabama. In his three seasons for the Crimson Tide, the 6-foot-6, 204-pound Scott has averaged 48.0, 44.2 and 47.2 yards per punt … basically at sea level.

For his career, Scott has punted 189 times for an average of 46.3.

It may get better for the former Mustang very soon – he will remain the team’s punter, coach Nick Saban said, but it’s a possibility Scott may also combine kicking off and being the Alabama man for long field-goal attempts.

Below is a link for an interesting story – including quoting Mullen head coach Tom Thenell – on what lies ahead for Scott this season.

The story, from BAMAinsider.com, suggests Scott could save the Cromson Tide’s kicking game.

The Mustangs will return to face the Kadets and others in the Air Academy tournament Friday-Saturday.

In softball, the Mustangs, who dropped a one-run decision to Class 4A D’Evelyn on Tuesday, came back on Wednesday and downed host Regis Jesuit 3-0. Now 1-1, Mullen plated a run in the third inning and two more in the fifth.

The Mustangs permitted only three hits. They next will be at 4A power Valor Christian on Sept. 30.

Come and support the Mustangs on Friday

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

A message from the Mullen football staff:

Come out and support the Mullen Mustangs as they take on Pomona Friday, 7 p.m., at the North Area Athletic Conplex (NAAC, Hwy. 93 and 64th in Arvada).

All students who are wearing a Mullen t-shirt and have their Mullen ID get free pizza at the gate.

We will be located in the southeast corner of the stadium parking lot. Come cheer on the 2017 MUSTANGS!!

The game will also be televised live on the NFHS network,

Boys golfers finish 11th at Cherry Creek Invitational

Monday, August 21, 2017

Mullen boys golfers finished 11th as a team in the Cherry Creek Invitational on Monday at Buffalo Run Golf Course in Commerce City.

Competing at Heather Ridge Golf Course in the Bishop Machebeuf Invitational, Mullen players faced a par-70. It’s a tight course built in 1972 that was private, then purchased by surrounding homeowners in 2010 and turned public.

The Mustangs posted individual scores ranging from 77 to more than 110, according to head coach Jerry Koehler.

Leading the way was Eli Marquez, who also was Mullen’s top scorer earlier in the week in varsity at The Broadlands G.C. in Broomfield. He shot 9-over-par 79 and finished third. Joseph Long was fourth with 80; Blake Good 20th with 90; and Jakob Beckish 24th at 92.

The varsity will play on Thursday at Meadow Hills G.C. in Aurora, the first Centennial League match of the season.

--- Neil H. Devlin

Precious few days remain for summer down time, so why panic?

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-I-O-N … is making them wait.

With precious few days before the widespread start of fall practice as well as the first day of school, what’s a fall student-athlete to do?

Cram for a bunch of workouts and weight-room sessions? Go for long runs or sprints? Or nab a little – and probably much-needed – down time before the beginning of a busy stretch?

These are the thoughts that must be crossing the minds of teenagers not only here, but across the country.

Call it part of the process, including growing up.

So fret not. Preseason practice (Aug. 14) soon will be here. And so will the first day of school (if they haven’t started already).